1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile communication terminal, and in particular, to an Internet access control method in a mobile communication terminal with a built-in web browser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a mobile communication terminal has developed into a multimedia device, which can provide not only existing voice call service but also various additional services including an electronic diary, game functions and schedule management functions. A mobile communication terminal supporting a radio data communication service is a typical example of such a multimedia device. The “radio data communication service” refers to a service capable of wirelessly transmitting/receiving text and image data through the mobile communication terminal. By using this service, the terminal user can search, for example, traffic information and stock information. Further, a mobile communication terminal equipped with a web browser can provide an Internet search service as well. Thanks to the radio (or mobile) Internet function, the mobile communication terminal can also provide various additional services, which were conventionally available only in a desktop computer connected to the Internet by wire. At present, an increasing number of mobile subscribers enjoy an Internet access service using the radio Internet function of the mobile communication terminal.
FIG. 1 illustrates an Internet access procedure in a conventional mobile communication terminal in which a web browser is installed to support an Internet search service.
Referring to FIG. 1, in order to access the Internet using the mobile communication terminal, the terminal user first runs the web browser installed in the mobile communication terminal and then requests Internet access by inputting a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of a web server that he or she desires to access. The mobile communication terminal then receives the user input URL of the web server in step 100, and accesses the Internet through a base station transceiver (BTS), a base station controller (BSC) and a mobile switching center (MSC) in step 102. The base station controller and the mobile switching center connect an Internet access call, requested as a data service option by the mobile communication terminal, to an interworking function system (IWF) and perform data transmission protocol, thereby enabling radio data communication between the web server and the mobile communication terminal through the Internet.
The mobile communication terminal downloads a web document (or web page) from the web server in step 104, displays the downloaded web document on its display in step 106, and awaits user input data in step 108. In this state, the user may read the displayed web document, input another URL, click a hyperlink on the web document to move to a URL indicated by the hyperlink, refresh the displayed web document, or end the Internet access. If the user issues a web command by inputting another URL, clicking a hyperlink on the web document or refreshing the web document in step 108, the mobile communication terminal receives the web command in step 110 and then returns to step 104 to repeatedly perform its succeeding steps 104-108. In the meantime, upon receipt of an Internet access end request from the user in step 108, the mobile communication terminal perceives the Internet access end request in step 112 and proceeds to step 114 to release the Internet access. Otherwise, upon failure to receive any web command from the user in step 108, the mobile communication terminal returns from step 112 to step 108, and continues to await the user input data while maintaining the Internet access.
In most cases, it takes a longer period of time to display a web document and for the user to read the displayed web document rather than downloading the web document. In accomplishing the above, the conventional mobile communication terminal maintains the Internet access even when there is no web command input from the user for a predetermined time after the Internet access has been established, thereby causing an increase in the service charge. Additionally, the mobile communication terminal cannot receive an incoming call while maintaining the Internet access. Maintaining the Internet access for a long time will increase the power consumption, causing a decrease in battery run time of the mobile communication terminal.